Corona RC Club
Lake Perris Float Fly, 2009
By Oscar Weingart
(Please note that these event reports were originally prepared for use in the Riverside RC Club monthly newsletter, Prop Talk, and are not intended to be comprehensive coverage of the event. Rather they are reports, for our club members, of my personal experiences and perceptions. These web site event reports may include more discussion and photos than the space-limited Prop Talk version.)
The Corona Club put on a float-fly at Lake Perris Sail Cove on Oct. 31-Nov.1. (Our Riverside RC Club pioneered this event and ran it for 9 years.) This was a very successful float fly. They got 47 registered pilots, and the weather was ideal, with calm morning wind, and sunny but fairly cool temperatures. The food service was slow, but worth waiting for, as everything was prepared fresh to order. There was little or no waiting to fly on the five flight stations. The raffle was a bit disappointing, as the Airtronics RD-8000 radio prize was the old technology 72 MHz version, rather than the new technology 2.4 GHz version.
The pits at the float fly -- Great turn-out!
Here, I had to face up to my new situation. The only ready to fly floatplane I have is the quarter scale J-3 Kitten ultra-light (Magnum .91FS). This plane is a large-scale model of a small airplane, so it fit into my old Aerostar van completely assembled. No way would it fit into my new Ford Escape without disassembly. The 7 ft., two piece wings are positioned by the functional wing struts, so one must be very careful in removing and reattaching them.
Upon actual packing, however, once the wings were removed, the Kitten, with all of its support toolboxes, along with a folding chair, folding table, and the 10 x 10 ft. collapsible awning, all fit neatly into the Escape. If I had that superb packer, Elwood “Woody” Warren, to help me, I probably could have fit one or two more airplanes into the little SUV.
Oscar with his quarter scale J-3 Kitten. Magnum 91FS engine and Stan's Fiber-Tech floats. (The Kitten is a single-place Ultra-light, designed as a 3/4 size Piper Cub.)
After much tinkering with the engine and the wing incidence, the Kitten flew nicely on Sunday, with the help of Corona Club president, Jason. RRCC was represented by Dave Johnson, Dale Yaney, Jim Bronowski, Bill Diepenbroek and myself.
Our stalwart newsletter editor, Jim Bronowski, with his Aircoupe ARF. Blow-molded floats.
Dale Yaney with his Don McGovern Privateer - sponsons instead of wing tip floats!
AMA Hall of Fame member Dave Johnson. Both flyer and airplane are old-timers!
On Saturday, we saw Jim Markham’s beautiful 1/27 scale giant electric Spruce Goose fly effortlessly and majestically. It weighs only 48 lb., with its eight electric motors, and superbly finished fiber-glassed skin.
On Sunday, a 1/3 scale clipped wing Cub, with a giant two cylinder 100cc gas engine, put on a fabulous exhibition of 3D flying. (Sorry--no photo!)
For a neat Corona Club Video of the event, (Click Here).